Stanwood man to march in NYC veterans parade

STANWOOD — Bruce Reges, a 30-year veteran of the American military who served in the second Iraq War, will march in the 2018 Veterans Day parade in New York City on Sunday.

“It’s a great honor,” said Reges, a longtime member of the U.S. Army, Army Reserve and National Guard. “One of my goals in life was to be in that parade, simply because it’s one of the largest ones in the country.

“I’m not doing it just for myself — I’m doing it for the veterans who are no longer here. I mean that sincerely. … It’s important not to forget their sacrifice.”

Reges, of Stanwood, said he was chosen by the Ground Zero Volunteers organization to help carry their 30-by-50-foot flag with 49 other military veterans, representing each state.

According to the parade’s official website, the parade features over 300 marching elements and an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 participants, including veterans of various eras, military units, civic and youth groups (including Junior ROTC), businesses and top high school marching bands from across the country. This year’s parade will highlight the centennial of the end of World War I.